Asian companies struggle to build strong reputations worldwide

It is the time of the year when corporate reputations are paraded afresh. First out of the blocks: the annual list of The World’s Most Reputable Companies from the Reputation Institute.

The 2014 list contains some interesting findings from an Asian perspective:

Three Asian firms make the top 10: Sony, Canon and Samsung

Only 20 Asian firms make the grade, all but five (Samsung, LG Electronics, Singapore Airlines, Acer, Lenovo) of which are Japanese

Lenovo is the only Chinese firm to be listed.

The fact that Japanese companies are still regarded as the most reputable in Asia comes as little surprise (despite Sony’s financial difficulties), and Samsung’s rise to the top ranks is probably only to be expected.

The list also underscores the huge reputational challenges facing Chinese companies as they go global – an issue I have written about previously.